Davis community tips help police close in on person of interest in stabbing spree
DAVIS -- Tips from the community helped the Davis Police Department close in on what they call a "person of interest" in their investigation into three recent stabbings in Davis, all within one week.
A man was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon without incident, believed to be connected to at least two of the stabbings.
A tip from life-long Davis resident Carter Carlson helped police find what could be their needle in a haystack.
"He seemed somewhat calm, was not giving up a fight or anything," said Carlson, who witnessed the person of interest being detained at Sycamore Park, the sight of the second in a series of stabbings that took the life of a UC Davis student.
Before that, Carlson called Davis police reporting that he saw a person matching the stabbing suspect description in Sycamore Park.
"I noticed they had long curly hair and they had the Adidas pants that they've been talking about," said Carlson.
Carlson was at the park leaving flowers and a note at a vigil for the stabbing victims when he saw the man in question walking in Sycamore Park alone.
"They were being a little bit sneaky I would say," said Carlson. "My first thought was 'Wow, this guy could be scoping out the school,' and that is very scary."
It's a tip that could help solve this case. Davis Police Chief Darren Pytel admitted Tuesday that a credible tip that came in on Monday was not handled quickly enough.
Then, late Monday night, an unhoused woman was stabbed. That sense of urgency was top of mind when police got multiple tips Wednesday from neighbors saying the stabbing suspect could have been spotted.
"I'm just glad I could help," said Carlson.
CBS13 learned that another tip to Davis police came from Isaac Chessman, who lives unhoused in Davis. He says he had a close encounter with the man he thinks is the same suspect Monday night.
"I said, 'You look just like the dude they've been describing that's been stabbing people,' and he just takes off around the bend," said Chessman, who says he reported this to police.
He was startled by a man, dressed in black with long curly hair who seemed to be scoping out the area where he and his fiancé were sleeping outdoors, fearing they were a target.
Learning a homeless woman was stabbed through her tent that very night came as a shock to Chessman.
"He's killing off innocent, vulnerable people. Whether they are homeless or housed, it doesn't make them less than human," said Chessman, now staying at an emergency shelter opened in Davis for the unhoused to have somewhere safe to sleep in light of the stabbings.
An arrest is now the only thing that will calm the fears of this Davis community, fearful this could be a serial killer.
"I'm a little bit calmed down but I'm not completely relaxed," said Chessman.
Neighbors are waiting with bated breath, hoping the person responsible for recent stabbings is in fact off the streets.
"Hopefully, this is all over," said Carlson.
Davis police did not confirm Wednesday night if the person of interest is still detained or if they were released from custody after questioning. They have not announced an arrest or charges on any suspect, or if the person detained is believed to be connected to all three stabbing investigations.